Articles Posted in Car Accidents

For nearly a decade, efforts have been made to prevent motorists from using electronic devices behind the wheel. Laws banning or limiting cell phone use have been passed throughout the country in more than 40 states, and public education campaigns have aimed to inform people about the tremendous risks associated with operating a vehicle while your brain is focused elsewhere. Wrecked car from distracted driving accident Van Sant

Despite these efforts, however, a new article from USA Today suggests that the lessons aren’t sinking in. Drivers continue to focus on their phones or other electronics on the road, even when they are aware of the risks. These motorists put themselves and others in grave danger and victims of collisions caused by distracted driving need to know their rights. An Atlanta car accident lawyer can help pursue a damage claim after a distracted driving crash so those who are harmed can be compensated for their losses.

Distracted Driving Behaviors Endanger Atlanta Motorists

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Drivers education classes can help to lower car insurance rates for families with teenagers. More importantly, drivers education provides young people with invaluable advice about learning how to drive safely and effectively. Most of these types of programs also require supervised driving practice with a qualified instructor so teens can learn how to make the best choices behind the wheel. Drivers Ed Decreases Car Accidents in Georgia Van Sant Law

Unfortunately, many young people are now skipping driver’s education classes. This has serious consequences as these teens are not getting the best information and experience before they get their license and start driving. Motor vehicle collisions are a top cause of death for teens and young adults, and drivers within this age group are also the most likely to cause a crash and hurt themselves or others. The lack of driver’s education is only likely to exacerbate this problem.

Being a teen is not an excuse for making dangerous choices behind the wheel, and teens are held to the same standard of care as any reasonable driver on the road. If you or a loved one is the victim of a crash with a teen driver, it is important to call an Atlanta car accident lawyer for help taking legal action as soon as possible. The teen won’t have to pay personally to compensate you; auto insurance covers car accident losses. This means it may make sense to sue a teen who caused a crash even if the teen has no financial resources, and you should consider doing so even if you were a passenger who was a friend of the teen.

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Technology has found its way into vehicles and many people rely on devices in their cars in order to keep them safe and tell them where they are going. The use of technology in cars is actually expanding, and self-driving cars are rapidly becoming a real possibility that may be available to consumers soon. Unfortunately, all of this reliance on technological devices can make consumers complacent and can put them at risk of crashes when technology fails. car-navigation-system-by-gps Van Sant Law

Ultimately, drivers are the ones who are responsible for being safe and making smart choices behind the wheel and drivers will be the ones who are held accountable when they fail to do what they are supposed to. An Atlanta car accident lawyer at Van Sant Law, LLC can provide legal representation to clients injured in crashes caused by drivers who have relied too much on technology and not enough on common sense and following safety rules.

GPS Devices Could Cause Atlanta Crashes When Drivers Don’t Pay Attention

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Car sharing services have become a popular way for locals and visitors alike to get around Atlanta. In fact, services like Uber Atlanta describe themselves as “Atlanta’s best way to request a safe, reliable and affordable ride within minutes.While these car sharing services can be convenient for people who need transportation and can bring in much needed income for drivers, there are also significant risks to both passengers and those who drive the vehicles. car accident atlanta georgia Van Sant Law

The problem that arises is: who is responsible in the event that a motor vehicle accident occurs. Passengers in car accidents can typically take legal action with the help of Atlanta car accident lawyers if they are hurt while riding in a friend’s car, provided they can prove that the friend is negligent or broke the rules of the road. Insurance pays the bills for losses and those who are harmed in a collision can be fully compensated for damages. However, insurance companies have demonstrated resistance to providing coverage in cases where drivers are offering their car as a de facto taxi service through ride sharing programs. This can make it more complicated for collision victims to pursue a claim for compensation.

Insurance Companies Take Tough Stance Against Liability for Atlanta Collisions Caused by Car-Sharers

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Drowsy driving has become a leading cause of car accidents, largely because few people are getting the recommended amount of sleep. Missing even a few hours of sleep per night could significantly increase the chances a drowsy driving collision will occur. These collisions can cause serious injuries or fatalities, and often it is someone besides the sleepy driver who is hurt or killed if a collision happens. Atlanta drowsy driving deaths Van Sant Law

If a serious or deadly car accident occurs, it is important for crash victims or families of victims to understand what their rights are and to pursue a claim for compensation against those who hurt them. An Atlanta car accident lawyer helps with both personal injury and wrongful death claims following a drowsy driving crash.

Drowsy Driving Crashes Can Cause Serious Injury for Atlanta Drivers

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Drunk and drugged drivers are breaking Georgia criminal laws when they get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or other substances affecting their ability to drive safely. These motorists face serious criminal charges, because criminal laws are designed to deter unsafe behavior that could lead to accidents. While many motorists recognize how dangerous drunk driving is and public education campaigns have been effective at reducing this behavior, risks of drugged driving crashes are largely underestimated. This helps to explain why the Washington Post warns drugged driving is now catching up to drunk driving in becoming a leading cause of fatal motor vehicle collisions. Emergency Room Entrance Van Sant Law

If you are involved in a car crash and the other driver was drugged at the time of the incident, you could pursue a damage claim to recover monetary compensation. You can even make claims against motorists who used prescription medication or over-the-counter drugs, as well as against drivers who used illegal controlled substances. An Atlanta drugged driving accident lawyer can provide guidance, assistance, and advocacy as you pursue a claim for damages after you or someone you love was hurt or killed by a driver under the influence.

Drugged Driving is Becoming a Leading Reason for Atlanta Car Crashes

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Drunk drivers are supposed to lose their license for a set period of time. The specific amount of time varies depending upon whether they have prior offenses and, in some cases, how high their blood alcohol concentration was at the time they were behind the wheel. The goal of these restrictions is both to act as a deterrent to prevent drunk driving and to keep people who could potentially be dangerous off of the roads. drunk driving car crashes atlanta georgia Van Sant Law

Since DUI license suspensions are supposed to make the roads safer, it may come as a surprise that Mothers Against Drunk Driving is in support of one city’s plan to eliminate an automatic 30-day suspension for impaired motorists. There are multiple arguments being made as to why this automatic suspension should be lifted, but the key is that it would instead be replaced by a requirement that DUI-offenders have ignition interlock devices installed in their vehicles.

Developing effective ways to prevent DUI accidents is essential, regardless of the specific methods used. Those who are hurt or who lose loved ones in drunk driving accidents face tremendous loss. An Atlanta drunk driving accident lawyer at Van Sant Law, LLC can provide legal representation to victims and help them to recover compensation for both economic and non-monetary damages.

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Fall is a pleasant time of year with cooler weather, back to school, and several fun holidays. Unfortunately, during the fall season, there are some circumstances which can cause an increased risk of car accidents. As the weather gets chillier and as the seasons change, motorists on roads throughout Atlanta should consider some of the different risk factors they could face on the roads. Atlanta Fall Car Accidents Van Sant Law

Car accidents can happen during any season, and can happen at any time of the day or night. Determining the crash cause when an accident happens is vitally important to ensure that victims and their families can be appropriately compensated for losses and damages. If you or someone who you love is hurt this fall or any time of the year, call an Atlanta car accident lawyer to find out what you can do to recover for your losses and damages resulting from the crash.

Atlanta Car Accident Risks During the Fall Season

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Truck accidents are the cause of thousands of people getting hurt and hundreds-of-thousands of people getting killed. In 2012 alone, 330,000 trucks were involved in collisions, some of which were deadly. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 3,921 people were killed in truck accidents over the course of 2012. There were also 104,000 people hurt in truck crashes over this same year. atlanta truck accidents Van Sant Law

All victims and their families need to understand how Georgia laws protect them when a truck accident happens. An Atlanta truck accident lawyer helps those who were hurt or whose loved ones were lost. Our attorneys assist in determining what state and federal regulations apply to your truck crash and help you to move forward with a case for damages.

There are some federal laws which can help you to make your case and recover compensation. One example is FMCSR 387.9, which requires trucks have $750,000 liability coverage minimum or $5 million minimum coverage if HAZMAT transport is occurring. There have been, however, some efforts by federal law makers in recent years which have actually undermined truck safety.

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If you have become involved in a car accident in Atlanta, you may be facing substantial financial losses due to the collision. If you got hurt, you have medical bills to pay and you may have lost income due to missed work or taking sick days. You may also have property damage, and may be in significant pain.Atlanta car accident evidence to prove Van Sant Law

The law allows you to recover compensation for accident losses, but you have to prove your right to damages. This means demonstrating the other driver was negligent or broke the rules of the road. It also means showing the extent of your losses.

You’ll need convincing evidence to either get an insurance company to make you a reasonable settlement offer or to convince a jury to award you damages in a civil claim. An Atlanta car accident attorney can help you to prove your case for compensation, so call an attorney as soon as you can after an accident.

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